Blocking machine comprising pivotally mounted, spring-biased blocking arm



Aug. 27, 1968 M. w. THOMPSON 3,

BLOCKING MACHINE COMPRISING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED, SPRING-BIASED BLOCKING ARM Filed Jan. 17, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheefl A TTYS 27, 1968 M. w. THOMPSON 3, BLOCKING MACHINE COMPRISING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED, SPRING'BIASED BLOCKING ARM Filed Jan. 17, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ne/ w. mom 95m ,46; K

Aug. 27, 1968 w. THOMPSON BLOCKING MACHINE COMPRISING PIVQTALLY MOUNTED, SPRING-BIASED BLOCKING ARM Filed Jan. 17, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 fi 4 RM F W I A w m I e W 2 a 7 z 1 3 ,W 4 2 H .b/ n 9 M w H 5 5 w a am rm United States Patent 3,398,953 BLOCKING MACHINE COMPRISING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED, SPRING-BIASED BLOCKING ARM Mel W. Thompson, Central Washington State College, Ellensburg, Wash. 98926 Filed Jan. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 521,210 3 Claims. (Cl. 273-55) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A blocking machine for practicing football blocks having a centrally pivoted arm mounted on a base. At each end of the arm there are blocking pads. Interconnecting the blocking pads there is a parallelogram link mechanism to maintain the blocking pads in parallel spaced relation to each other as the arm moves about its pivot. Also attached to the arm are a pair of spring biasing members which return the arm to a neutral position after removal of a force against the blocking pads.

My invention relates to a blocking device or machine for use in the training and exercising of football players. It is the purpose of my invention to provide such a machine with means whereby players may attack a dummy (simulated opponent) and get an instantaneous response indicating their speed in making contact as well as the force of their charge, the means comprising a base which carries as cross bar pivotally secured on the base and having two opposed dummies in the form of blocking pads engageable by two charging players so that each player is instantaneously subjected to a reaction by the dummy he strikes, that is proportional to the speed and force exerted by the other player.

It is also a purpose of the invention to provide such a machine with spring means positioned to set up a reaction to the charge of a single player so that the machine is usable for the training of one or a pair of players as desired.

It is also a purpose of the invention to provide such a machine with an improved mounting for the blocking pad. Whereby the reaction to the charge of the player is a rearward and upward yielding movement of the pad while it maintains its position facing the charging player.

Other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred form of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a blocking machine embodying my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the machine;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the structure for securing the restraining springs and adjusting them.

Referring now to the drawings, my invention is embodied in a machine which resembles the well known blocking sled in that it has a base 1 adapted to rest on the ground and to slide on the ground in being moved from place to place. This sled base 1 is a metal pan so that more or less weight may be added to it as needed. In addition, I provide a plurality of tubular guides 2 which are welded to the base 1 and used to guide pins 3 (shown in FIGURE 3) that are used to anchor the base 1 against movement when that is desired.

On the base 1 two front upright standards 4 are provided for a pan shaped bearing 5 that rotatably mounts 3,398,953 Patented Aug. 27, 1968 "ice a support plate 6 for a cross bar 7. To further support the bearing 5 frame members 8 are fixed to it and extend rearwardly and downwardly to the base 1, where they are fixed to the base 1. These frame members are braced by uprights 9. A rear standard 10 is fixed on the base 1 and is braced by braces 11 that extend between the standard 10 and the frame members 8. A pin 12 extends down from the plate 6 through the bearing 5 and is secured by any suitable means such as a collar 13. The plate 6 has an arm 14 extending rearwardly from it and carrying a handle bar 15, the purpose of which will be explained later. There is an arm 16 fixed to and extending rearwardly from the pan shaped bearing 5. A rod 17 is pivoted on the arm 16 by a bracket 18 and extends parallel to the cross bar 7.

On the ends of cross bar 7 two dummy carrying brackets 19 and 20 are pivotally mounted by bolts 21 and 22. These brackets have the rod 17 pivoted thereto at their rear ends by pivot pins 23 and 24. Thus the cross bar 7, the rod 17 and the brackets 19 and 20 form a parallelogram which keeps the brackets 19 and 20 parallel with the arm 16 when the cross arm 7 and the support plate 6 turn on the bearing 5.

The brackets 19 and 20 carry C-shaped frames 25 and 26 which are the mounts for curved springs 27 and 28. These springs have their lower ends pivoted to the C- frames 25 and 26. The upper ends of the springs 27 and 28 are pivoted to links 29 and 30 that are pivotally suspended from the upper free ends of the C-frames 25 and 26.

Each of the springs 27 and 28 has a block 31 of wood or like material bolted thereto by bolts 32 and 33. The blocks 31 carry yielding pads 34 which are of conventional materials. These pads extend around the blocks 31 and the springs 27 and 28. The particular conformation of the pads and the blocks may vary considerably. They communicate the forces of the player charges to the springs 27 and 28. These springs being convex toward the pads straighten under the force and this allows the links 29 and 30 to swing back. The net result is a rearward and upward movement of the pad under the impact much as the opposing player would move.

It is readily apparent that if two trainees charge the opposing pads 31 their attacks will offset each other because the cross bar 7 is pivoted by the plate 6 in the bearing 5. If one trainee hits his pad ahead of the opposing trainee, the opposing trainee will meet an oncoming pad and thus have more to overcome. This is a great advantage in training for it teaches the trainees the value of speed in his attack. In order to make allowance for the fact that most players hitting with the right shoulder exert more force than when hitting with the left, I place the pivot 22 slightly farther from the bearing 5 than the pivot 21.

The cross bar 7 is retained in neutral or centered position by resilient tethers 35 and 36. These tethers are alike and as shown each tether has two chains 37 and 38, secured to the cross bar 7, two springs 39 and 40' secured to the respective chains 37 and 38, and two additional chains 41 and 42 secured to the springs 39 and 40 and extending through keyhole apertures 43, 44, 45 and 46 provided at the top of the rear standard 10. The chains 41 and 42 can be adjusted in their respective apertures to apply more or less tension to the springs to which they connect.

The tethers 35 and 36 can thus be adjusted to provide more or less resistance to the force exerted by the trainee against the pads. This makes it possible for a single trainee to work on the machine. The handle bar 15 can also be manned by a trainer to swing the cross bar toward an approaching trainee or to supply additional resistance to his charge.

It is believed that the nature and advantages of my invention will be clear from the foregoing description.

I claim:

1. A blocking machine comprising a combination:

a support base;

a cross bar carried by said base and pivotally mounted thereon; v

a pair of brackets, one bracket pivotally mounted to the cross bar adjacent each end at a distance from v the pivotal mounting of the cross bar on the base;

a blocking pad carried by each bracket;

a link, pivotally mounted at each end to a bracket and also pivotally connected to a fixed point on said base adjacent said cross bar pivot, whereby, upon angular displacement of said cross bar about its pivot, said link maintains said brackets in a parallel spaced relationship to each other and their original undisplaced position.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the base includes front standard means on which the cross bar is pivoted, said base having rear standard means thereon v 4 spaced from the front standard means, and resilient tethers extending outwardly and forwardly to the cross bar from the rear standard means, said tethers having their ends secured to the cross bar and the rear standard means.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein each bracket has an upright C-frarne and a leaf spring having one end pivoted at the lower end of the Gimme and wherein 'link means interconnect the other end of the spring to the upper end of the C-frame and wherein further the blocking pad is secured to the leaf spring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1954 Noftsinger 27355 6/1967 Forrest 27355 

